Device for bending metal tongues



May 24, 1960 w. A. SHELBY, JR 2,937,549

DEVICE FOR SENDING METAL TONGUES Filed June so, 1958 INVENTOR.

WALLACE A. SHELBY, JR.

ATTORNEY DEVICE FOR BENDING METAL TONGUFS Filed June so, toss, ser. Nb.7 4s,7ss 2 Claims. 01. 81-15) The present invention relates to a device for bending metal tongues.

Frequently, U-shaped tongues are stamped or pressed from a sheet of metal for subsequent depression out of the plane of the sheet of metal. Where the sheet of metal is mounted in an inaccessible position, the tongue bending manipulation may be difficult. The bending of such tongues can be accomplished with prying tools such as a screwdriver or chisel but without assurance of uniformity in bending.

I have provided a device which greatly simplifies the bending of such stamped tongues.

The construction of the device and'its operation will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective illustration of a pro-stamped tongue element in a metal sheet;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a stamped metal sheet from which the present device is constructed;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the assembled device;

Figure. 4 is a side elevation view of the assembled device;

Figure 5 is a cross-section view taken along the line 55 of Figure 3;

Figures 6 and 7 are cross-sectional illustrations showing the present device in one form of operation; and

Figures 8 and 9 are cross-sectional illustrations showing the present device in another form of operation.

As shown in Figure 1, a typical pro-stamped metal tongue element 6 is illustrated as appearing in a fiat metal.

sheet 7. The tongue element 6 is separated from the flat metal sheet 7 by a generally U-shaped opening 8. Preferably an aperture 9 is provided in the tongue element 6. The aperture 9 may be stamped into the tongue element 6 in the same operation which pre-stamps the U-shaped opening 8. Tongue elements of this type have utility in cellular floors as described in my co-pending application Serial Number 745,699, entitled Improved Cellular Floor Construction, filed on even date herewith. There are transportation and storage conveniences resultingfrom maintaining such tongue elements in a flattened position until ready for use. The device of this invention permits a convenient uniform bending of such tongue elements out of the plane of the metal sheet from which they are formed.

As shown in Figure 2, the present device preferably is formed from a flat sheet of metal 10. The device includes a handle portion 11, a lever portion 12, an aperture-engaging portion 13, and lateral ear portions 14. The width of the handle portion 11 slightly exceeds the width of the tongue elements which are to be bent with the device. The length of the handle portion 11 may be varied according to the normal accessibility of the tongue elements to be depressed.

The ear portions 14 can be bent as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 to overlap the handle portion 11 to provide a channel 15 for engaging a tongue element.

The strip of metal is bent along the line BB which '2 separates the handle portion 11 from the lever portion 12. The lever portion is bent along the line CC so that the aperture-engaging portion 13 extends generally inthe direction of the handle portion 11. The apertureengaging portion'13 is bent along the line DD to provide a hooked tip 16which may be clearly seen in Figures 3 and 4. g

Preferably the handle portion 11 and the lever portion 12 are provided with a depressed channel 17 to reinforce the bending resistance of the device.

The tip of the handle portion 11 preferably is narrowed to provide a chisel edge l8 which is useful in preliminarily pryingtongue elements 6 away from the plane of the metal sheet 7 from which they are formed.

It is possible to bend the tongue element 6 upwardly from the metal sheet 7 by inserting a wedge-shaped tool along the opening 8 and prying the tongue element 6 downwardly. The .chisel edge 18 may be employed for this purpose. It is also possible to insert a pointed implement through the aperture 9 and thereby to pry the tongue element -6 downwardly. Where the metal sheet 7 is positioned in a relatively inaccessible manner, for example, on a ceiling, it would be necessary for a workman to mo'unt a ladder to bend the tongue element 6 with conventional tools. This may become inconvenient. Moreover, conventional tools do not provide assurance that the tongue element 6 will be bent accurately and evenly.

The operation of the present device is illustrated in its two alternative embodiments in Figures 6 through 9. As

shown in Figure 6, a sheet of metal 7 is provided with a depending tongue element 6. An aperture 9 is provided in the tongue element 6. The hook-portion 16 of the aperture-engaging portion 1'3 is inserted through the aperture 9 to secure the to'ngue element 6. A radially downward movement of the handle portion 11 will cause the tongue element 6 to be bent downwardly.

Preferably, the length of the aperture-engaging portion 13 between the lines DD and CC is the same as the length of the tongue element 6 between the aperture 9 and the open ends of the U-shaped opening 8. Where the lengths are thus equal, the tongue element 6 will be bent around the angle of the present device at the line CC.

Alternatively, the to'ngue element 6 may be inserted into the tongue receiving channel 15 formed by the bent j hook provides one means for completely or partially bending the tongue elements. The channel po'rtion provides an alternative or supplemental means for bending or partially bending the tongue elements. The present device may be cheaply stamped from scrap metal available in factories which manufacture cellular doors. The cellular floor manufacturer can provide several of the present devices with each shipment of cellular floor as an auxiliary which can be thrown away after its use.

Preferably the metal sheet from which the present device is stamped should be of greater thickness than the metal tongue element to be bent therewith.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle, preferred construction, and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the, appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described. r

I claim:

1. A device for bending; outwardly from a metal sheet preformed; tongues of; U-shaped configuration carried by said metal. sheet and havingan aperture therein, said device comprisinga metal strip having an, elongated handle portion, a lever portion, an aperture-penetrating portio'n and lateral ear portions, said lever portion being bent out of the plane ofsaid handle portion, said ear portions being bent to overlap said handle portion to provide a tongue-engaging channel, said aperture-penetrating portion being bent out of the plane of said lever portion in the direction of said, handle portion and having its tip bent into a hook for penetrating said aperture td engage said tongues.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein a longitudinal corrugation extends along said handle portion and said lever portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

